Tamil literature has existed for over two thousand years.[7] The earliest epigraphic records found on rock edicts and hero stones date from around the 3rd century BCE.[8] The earliest period of Tamil literature, Sangam literature, is dated from the 300 BCE – 300 CE.[9][10] Tamil language inscriptions written circa 1st century BCE and 2nd century CE have been discovered in Egypt, Sri Lanka and Thailand.[11] The two earliest manuscripts from India,[12][13] to be acknowledged and registered by UNESCO Memory of the World register in 1997 & 2005 were in Tamil.[14] More than 55% of the epigraphical inscriptions – about 55,000 – found by the Archaeological Survey of India are in the Tamil language.[15] According to a 2001 survey, there were 1,863 newspapers published in Tamil, of which 353 were dailies.[16] It has the oldest extant literature amongst other Dravidian languages.[17][18] The variety and quality of classical Tamil literature has led it to being described as "one of the great classical traditions and literatures of the world”.[19]